The Game

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Molly Hudson and Tom Allnutt.The EFL Cup is back and already we’ve seen some excellent football. Were people wrong about players feeling fatigue after the World Cup? (00:00)As 2022 comes to an end, we make some bold predictions for the second half of the season (17:32)We take a look back at the predictions we made at the end of 2021 and some are actually quite accurate! (35:41)It’s time to pick our alternative player of the year as Gregor Robertson, Tom Roddy and James Restall join the conversation (41:56)We reflect on a huge year in women’s football that has seen female players become household names (57:30)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd in London, with David Walsh in Qatar.Argentina have won their third World Cup in one of the most entertaining World Cup Finals ever - what impressed us most? (00:00)With the World Cup in Qatar over - what did we make of the action on the pitch throughout the tournament? (17:00)Lionel Messi finally gets his hands on the World Cup - but does it make him the greatest ever? (26:45)Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick in the final but still didn’t take home the trophy. Will he be the player we consider the best in the world for the next decade? (38:13)The Times’ David Walsh joins us from inside the Lusail Stadium after the trophy ceremony and brings us the latest on Gareth Southgate’s decision to stay in charge of England (49:55)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd in London, with Jonathan Northcroft in Qatar.We look ahead to the World Cup Final. Jonathan Northcroft joins us from Doha to share his thoughts and reflect on his time in Qatar (00:00)What can we expect from France? Do they have a better supporting cast around their leading man, Kylian Mbappé than Argentina do, to Messi? (12:01)Are Argentina too emotional and will that be their undoing in the final? (27:07)What would it mean for France to become the first team since 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups? (49:34)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Allnutt and Alyson Rudd.Morocco fell short of making the World Cup final as France won 2-0 in the second semi-final - but who were the better side? (00:00)Where was the game won and lost? Could Morocco have played it differently? (16:58)Does France’s performance make Argentina the clear favourites in the final on Sunday? (25:33)Gregor gives his thoughts on the officiating in the semi-final and what he hopes for in the final (34:25)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd to review Argentina's 3-0 win over Croatia in the first 2022 World Cup semi-final.Were Argentina fortunate to have been awarded a penalty for their opening goal? Would the outcome of the game have been different in that wasn't given? How unlucky were Croatia? (01:35)Lionel Messi proves why he's considered the greatest of all-time by stepping up and performing when it mattered to send his side through to a World Cup final - but is he playing in a good Argentina side? (09:25)Will Argentina have to adopt a different game plan depending on whether they'll play France or Morocco in the final? Would it actually be more difficult for them if they were to face Morocco? (19:45)Luka Modric bows out of the World Cup after a brilliant international career for Croatia, we pay tribute to his career and also ask if he can still go until the 2024 European Championships. (26:27)Who wins the second semi-final, France or Morocco? (31:33)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Molly Hudson and James Restall.We continue to look at where England go next following their World Cup exit and James and Molly add their thoughts to the questions over Gareth Southgate’s future (00:00)Do you want Gareth Southgate to stay or go? The Times polled 20,000 readers and there’s an overwhelming majority for one outcome (19:40)Argentina take on Croatia today in the first World Cup semi-final - which great player will fall short in their search for a golden end to their international career? (32:48)Morocco face France on Wednesday. Are the French too strong or are they capable of complacency against the Moroccans? (49:44)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar and Tom Clarke, Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd are in London.England are out of the World Cup. What have we learned from their time in Qatar, did they get it wrong against France and where do they go from here? (00:00)Gareth Southgate has a contract until the Euros in 2024. Should he stay in the job or is it time for a change? (24:05)Morocco have quickly become the feel-good story of this World Cup. Can they actually go all the way to the final? (34:10)We’ve likely seen the last of Cristiano Ronaldo in an elite football match. How much has the last 6 months tainted his legacy? (45:34)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar and Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd are in London.Argentina lost a 2-0 lead but eventually triumphed on penalties against the Netherlands. Does this further back up Hugh’s idea that they’re really not very good? (00:00)The game was quite feisty, the Netherlands comeback was a bit confusing and are we a bit sick of the Messi love-in? (23:30)The dream semi-final between Brazil and Argentina is still a dream after the Brazilians lost on penalties to Croatia. Do we actually give the Croatians the respect they deserve given their recent major tournament record? (27:17)It’s Morocco’s big day as they take on Portugal for a place in the semi finals. Alyson’s found herself a Moroccan friend to tell us what it means to people from the country (44:42)It’s a big day for England too. Are France too good for Gareth Southgate’s side or should they get the better of Mbappé and co? (52:26)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Roddy, Matt Lawton and Owen Slot in Qatar.From last minute u-turns to questions over the authenticity of some fans - what are our experiences of the World Cup in Qatar so far? (00:00)How will Qatar 2022 be seen in the future? Will football ever be the same again? (19:22)England are a day away from their quarter final against France - has Raheem Sterling’s situation been a distraction and how do England deal with Mbappé? (33:13)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Jonathan Northcroft and Matt Dickinson in Qatar.What has Qatar 2022 been like for our journalists so far? Has the lack of alcohol and location made the event feel safer? (00:00)We discuss our best moments on the pitch as two teams stand out (09:52)Morocco take on Portugal after beating Spain. Do they have what it takes to make the World Cup semi finals? (20:05)Croatia are tournament specialists, so can you really write them off against Brazil? (29:20)Should England change anything going into the France game and what would winning mean for Gareth Southgate’s legacy? (33:03)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar - with Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd in London.Morocco have provided us with the latest World Cup shock - beating Spain on penalties to become the first Arabic-speaking country to make the quarter finals. Was it a case of Spain missing their chances or Morocco being too good for their opponents? (00:00)Some are saying this Morocco win is a victory for Africa. We discuss the added importance to a lot of Moroccan fans (14:21)Portugal thrashed Switzerland 6-1 but didn’t need Cristiano Ronaldo, dropping him in a tournament for the first time in 31 games. Does he return from this latest setback? (22:55)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar - with Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke in London.Brazil danced their way to a 4-1 victory over South Korea. Can anyone realistically stop them? (00:00)Speaking of dancing - did their goal celebrations go too far? (13:12)Japan came up short against Croatia as 2018’s World Cup finalists progressed. Do the Croatians have any hope of getting past Brazil? (16:44)Hugh has been in the England camp and spoke to James Maddison about his involvement in the squad and Raheem Sterling’s return home (26:36)The final Round of 16 games take place today - which teams are most likely to progress and what part will Cristiano Ronaldo play? (33:45)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft and Tom Roddy are in Qatar - with Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd in London.England are through to the quarter finals of the World Cup with a 3-0 win over Senegal - but as some fans were suggesting, was it a boring performance? (00:00)Tom Roddy was at the Al Bayt Stadium and gives us his thoughts before we look ahead to Saturday’s quarter final against France (17:28)The French proved too much for Poland, beating them 3-1 and showing everyone they have every intention of defending their crown. How will England handle Kylian Mbappé? (29:21)Hugh ends with a theory that scoring the first goal is more important than ever if you’re the underdog - but does anyone agree with him? (44:35)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar - with Gregor Robertson and Tom Allnutt in London.Messi impressed as Argentina avoided a late shock to beat Australia - but are the rest of the team offering enough? (00:00)The Netherlands ended the USA’s tournament - but is the future bright for the Americans? (11:31)Argentina will play The Netherlands next - are the South Americans good enough or do they rely on Messi too much? (19:42)England play their Last 16 game against Senegal today - but who should Gareth Southgate name in his starting XI? (30:10)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar, whilst Alyson Rudd and Gregor Robertson are both in London to look back at an eventful final day of World Cup Group action, with late drama as South Korea secured a place in the last 16 at Uruguay's expense. There was also a famous win for Cameroon against Brazil and Serbia and Switzerland played out a fiery game as the Swiss also head through to the last 16. Hugh discusses being at South Korea vs Portugal and witnessing the incredible scenes as South Korea qualified for the last 16 (01:58)Alyson discusses Andre Ayew's penalty miss for Ghana and how it completely changed the game (09:30)Despite Cameroon beating Brazil, Alyson isn't impressed with Aboubakar's actions in taking off his shirt to celebrate the winner and receiving a second yellow card in the process. (31:22)Gregor was really impressed with the quality shown in Switzerland vs Serbia and believes the Swiss deserved to win (34:37)The panel discusses which team's could spring a surprise in the Round of 16 with Alyson predicting the USA and Australia to be victorious (41:58)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar, while Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson are both in London to look back at an eventful day of World Cup action, with both Germany and Belgium being knocked out of the competition in the group stages.The panel debate whether some of the teams are now only starting to find their feet after their third matches. Are they finally adjusting to conditions in Qatar given their lack of preparation ahead of the tournament? (00:30)Did the ball cross the line in the build-up to Japan's second goal against Spain? Gregor and Tom have their say (09:30)Where did it all go wrong for Germany after their elimination from the tournament, and just how catastrophic is their early exit? Can they rebuild ahead of the next European Championships? (11:43)Belgium's Golden Generation are knocked out of the group stages just 4 years after finishing third in Russia - what now for the national side with several of the key figures set to be absent from the next World Cup? (24:30)How much credit do Morocco need after qualifying for the Round of 16 as Group winners? How significant is this for African football? (35:17) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tom Allnutt to review all the World Cup action from Day 11 of the 2022 World Cup whilst Matt Dickinson discusses England's Group Stage Campaign!Tom Allnut on the incredible moment Tunisia beat France but still didn't manage to qualify for the last 16 and how despite being disappointed in not moving forward, they would be proud of their achievement (02:19)Tom Allnut on Australia being a joy to watch in the group stage and how they have a real team spirit under Graham Arnold (07:40)The panel discuss what on earth went wrong for Denmark in this tournament? Gregor feels they have been a shadow of the team they were at the Euros (11:50)Hugh believes the penalty awarded to Argentina was one of the worst VAR decisions he has seen. The panel discuss how VAR could make such a decision which left Gregor astonished. (14:13)Matt Dickinson joins Hugh to discuss England's group stage campaign and what to expect from Senegal on Sunday evening (28.26)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar and Tom Allnutt, Alyson Rudd and Gregor Robertson are all in London to review England's 3-0 win over Wales and the other action from Day 10 of the 2022 World Cup.Tom Roddy joins us to give his on-the-whistle report from Qatar, as England ease to a 3-0 win over Wales, who have been eliminated from the World Cup as a result. (00:00)The panel discuss whether England's performance was good, or Wales were particularly bad. They also discuss the performance of Marcus Rashford, and look ahead to what changes could be made for the Round of 16 tie with Senegal. (02:07)Can the USA cause the Netherlands problems in their Round of 16 tie after beating Iran to qualify for the next round of the tournament? (26:14)Paul Hirst joins us live from Qatar to look back at Senegal's win over Ecuador and how tough a test they'd be for England on Sunday. (29:25)Did Rob Page make a mistake by persisting with an unfit and out of form Gareth Bale? What message does it send to the younger players in the Wales squad that he'll play no matter what happens? (34:43) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and Gregor Robertson are all in London to review the day's World Cup action, with goals galore on Day 9 in Qatar.Was Cameroon 3-3 Serbia the game of the tournament? And was Vincent Aboubakar's chip the goal of the World Cup so far? They look back at a six-goal thriller to start off the day's football. (00:00)South Korea and Ghana put on a show, with the latter winning a 3-2 thriller! How good is the Ghana goalscorer Kudus, and what does this result mean for the final match in this group? (10:07)Does Cristiano Ronaldo help or hinder Portugal? Tom Clarke believes that his presence may be holding back some of the younger players, but Alyson believes he still has a role to play for his national side. And are Uruguay too afraid to drop Luis Suarez? Why do they keep persisting with an aging side? (18:42)Did Brazil miss Neymar, or do the side look better without him? They review their 1-0 win over Switzerland (27:05)Jack the England fan and George the Wales fan join us live from Qatar to look ahead to the game, discuss their teams' performances so far, and talk about what it's been like being in the country during this World Cup (31:26) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and James Gheerbrant to review the day's World Cup action whilst Matt Lawton joins from Qatar to discuss his exclusive in the Times on Lionel Messi looking likely to move to Inter Miami. James Gheerbrant on both Germany and Spain lacking a real quality number nine which could hold both team's back in the World Cup (5.30)Why did Japan make 5 changes for the Costa Rica game? Has this cost them a place in the last 16? (13.14)With Belgium's defeat to Morocco leaving them on the cusp of a group stage exit, the guys discuss what's gone wrong and will they even make it out of the group? (21.19)Hugh discusses Canada's performance vs Croatia and believes their performance was naive and the occasion got to them (26.35) Matt Lawton discusses his exclusive story of Lionel Messi edging closer to a move to the MLS with Inter Miami and why he would be interested in going there (32.56) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Martin Hardy joins us live from Qatar after attending Argentina vs Mexico to explain what it was like seeing Messi produce more World Cup Magic (02:35)What are Argentina lacking and why aren't they reaching the high expectations people had for them so far? (04:19)Poland beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 as Robert Lewandowski breaks his World Cup goal duck with Martin Handy in attendance for the game (10.20)France beat Denmark 2-1 and Kylian Mbappe continues to impress in the tournament. Jonathan Northcroft joins us live from Qatar and believes he has the wow factor when watching Mbappe live (16.10) How will Group D end? They discuss whether Australia can make it out of the group and Jonathan gives his thoughts on England and Wales' showings so far (21.15) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd, Gregor Robertson and Molly Hudson are all in London to review the day's World Cup action.Tom Roddy joins us live from Qatar to explain what it was like being in the stadium as England were held to a goalless draw against the USA, and discusses what questions he'll pose to Gareth Southgate. (00:16)Where did it go wrong for England? How could a team that brushed aside Iran look so lacklustre and lethargic just days later? How did they assess Gareth Southgate's in-game management and substitutions? (01:28)Wales' hopes of reaching the Round of 16 are all but over following a 2-0 defeat against Iran - Hugh Woozencroft joins us live from Qatar and believes Rob Page's management was 'inept' while he also calls for both Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey to be dropped for Tuesday's game with England (28:40)How will Group A end? They discuss a tournament to remember for Ecaudor's Enner Valencia and also ask why the Netherlands are so inconsistent in their opening 2 group games. (47:45)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft and Paul Hirst are in Qatar - with Gregor Robertson and Tom Allnutt in London.Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in five World Cups as Portugal (just about) beat Ghana. How far can they go? (00:00)Uruguay vs South Korea was goalless and it was no surprise when you saw how off the pace Luis Suárez was - should they lean more on youth? (16:15)Group G got underway and Brazil got off to a good start with victory over Serbia. Did they live up to our expectations and what caught our eye? (21:43)England and Wales are back in action today. Have the Three Lions got enough to cruise past the USA and should Rob Page take a risk on Joe Allen? (30:52)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft, Tony Cascarino and Matt Dickinson are in Qatar - with Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd in London.Japan shocked Germany with a 2-1 win. Some clever substitutes played a huge part - but did anyone see it coming? (00:00)Germany’s players staged a silent protest during their team photo - will we see continued protests throughout the finals? (14:09)Spain put seven goals past Costa Rica - but did their opponents make them look better than they actually are? (24:31)Canada came up short against Belgium, but the Belgians hardly impressed. Is their team over the hill? (33:44)Matt Dickinson has been trying to do something a lot of fans in Qatar have been dreaming of - but did he make it to four World Cup games in a day? (43:11)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar - with Tom Clarke and Gregor Robertson in London.Saudi Arabia provided one of the most shocking moments in World Cup history as they beat Argentina 2-1 in their opening game. Was it a tactical masterclass from Hervé Renard? (00:00)Robert Lewandowski is still looking for his first World Cup goal after having a penalty saved against Mexico - but was it actually the right decision? (15:02)France came from behind to beat Australia 4-1 and Olivier Giroud achieved a huge personal milestone in the game - but are they the real deal? (23:18)Christian Eriksen had an emotional day as he played in a major tournament for the first time since the events of Euro 2020. There were also some pretty big political statements surrounding the match (31:40)Hugh was at Wales’ game against the USA and as he was missing from last night’s podcast, he gave us his thoughts on what Wales need to do to make it through (38:30)Away from the World Cup - two huge stories at Manchester United as the club part ways with Cristiano Ronaldo and the owners could be open to selling up (42:56)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke is joined in London by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd - with Tom Roddy and Jonathan Northcroft in Qatar.England proved that going into a World Cup in poor form doesn’t matter with a 6-2 win over Iran. What did we learn and did Gareth Southgate get everything right? (00:00)At the last moment, the ‘One Love’ captain’s armbands were scrapped. What does this say about the nations involved standing up for human rights? (22:45)What’s it actually like in Qatar at the moment? With Tom and Jonathan joining us from Doha, they’re pretty well placed to give us their experience so far! (27:35)Wales managed to snatch a draw against the USA. A poor first half led to an impressive second - but have they shown enough to give us faith they’ll make it through? (32:50)The Netherlands also got their tournament started against Ecuador - but something wasn’t right (45:17)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is in Qatar and is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd in London.Qatar lost 2-0 to Ecuador in the opening game - but only two thirds of the stadium were there to see the final whistle. Will this be a problem going forward? (00:00)Gianni Infantino gave one of the most bizarre speeches the day before the World Cup started - did any of it make sense? (21:10)England and Wales being their campaign today - what will the England team look like and how can Wales get past the USA? (34:07)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Northcroft sits down with England’s all-time record goalscorer, Wayne Rooney. They discuss the three World Cups he played in, what was going on behind the scenes in each England camp and how he looks back on his time with the national team.2006 - A broken metatarsal, THAT red card against Portugal and a World Cup debut for a 20 year old Rooney in Germany (00:00)2010 - Fabio Capello lead England and Rooney into the next World Cup in South Africa, but another disappointing showing ended with Rooney ranting at the fans after elimination against Germany (17:30)2014 - Wayne’s first World Cup goal came in his third finals in Brazil, but a dismal performance from England left them bottom of the group and on the plane home (32:36)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Tony Cascarino shares his favourite stories from representing the Republic of Ireland in two World Cups (00:00)Which South American teams are in the running to lift the trophy? Are Brazil favourites or could Argentina cause them a problem or two? (07:41)What about the European teams? Can France become the third nation ever to win back-to-back World Cups? (16:12)Which players are likely to stand out and create World Cup memories? (33:38)Several players are possibly playing in their final World Cups - and it’s not just Messi and Ronaldo (38:32)There’ve been some iconic World Cup goals, but which are our favourites? (51:30)Tony picks his favourite World Cup moment from his time playing at the finals in 1990 and 1994 (60:02)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Matt Dickinson.The World Cup is days away - but how far can England actually go? (00:00) What is England’s best XI and is there any chance Harry Maguire starts against Iran? (19:46)Regardless of how England get on in Qatar - what does the future hold for Gareth Southgate? (24:01)Wales play in their first World Cup finals for 64 years - but is their ageing squad capable of performing at the highest level? (28:32)Just days from the start of the tournament, how is everyone feeling about the tournament being held in Qatar? (40:19)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Alyson Rudd.Cristiano Ronaldo has launched a scathing attack on Manchester United with few getting away without comment. Why has he chosen to do this television interview right now and is there any way back? (00:00)There’s a new kid on the block - but could Alejandro Garnacho replace Ronaldo in the United starting lineup? (24:25)Ivan Toney showed Gareth Southgate what he’s missing by not picking him for England. Will the England manager live to regret his choice? (32:05)Bournemouth have been linked with Marcela Bielsa - but would a move for the former Leeds boss be a good idea? (43:13)Everton’s poor form continues. Just how long does Frank Lampard get to turn things around? (47:16)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tom Roddy - with Martyn Ziegler.Liverpool’s owners have suggested they’re open to new investment in the club, sparking talk of a sale of the club. The Times Football Writer Martyn Ziegler joins us to discuss what this means to the club in the short term future (00:00)England's “big six” clubs have failed to halt a move by the Premier League to start discussions with the FA and EFL over a radical overhaul - Martyn also has the details on what this means for the English game (9:31)Harry Kane goes into the World Cup fatigued, with his manager at Tottenham - Antonio Conte confirming he had to stop training to deal with it. What does this mean for the Three Lions chances and what are the biggest concerns over player safety (17:48)West Ham have had a tough time of late - with their penalty shootout loss to Blackburn Rovers in the League Cup the latest failure. Is David Moyes in trouble? (30:00)Nathan Jones is the new Southampton manager - but will his time there be more like his time at Luton Town or Stoke City? (41:00)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Roddy for a special episode of The Game podcast with their initial thoughts on the 26-man England squad that Gareth Southgate named today.We'll bring you an extensive two-part World Cup preview next week - and an exclusive conversation with one of England's greatest ever players, ahead of the start of Qatar 2022.Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Liverpool came away from North London with three points from Spurs. What’s going on at Tottenham and why do they fall behind so often? (00:00)Arsenal returned to the top of the table with a 1-0 win over Chelsea. Can we finally call Arsenal credible title contenders? (17:17)Unai Emery started well at Aston Villa, beating Manchester United 3-1. Was he ever given a fair chance at Arsenal? (36:56)Southampton have parted company with Ralph Hasenhüttl with the club in the bottom three - but was it a surprise? (50:20)Leeds and Bournemouth played in the game of the weekend in the top flight. Has Jesse bought himself more time? (64:18)The draw for the last 16 of the Champions League took place as we were recording. We react live! (70:24)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Allnutt and Ian Hawkey - with Charlotte Duncker.Tottenham are through to the knockout stages of the Champions League as group winners after their comeback in Marseille - but how far can they go? (00:00)Liverpool finished second in their group - but they did beat the in-form Napoli. Is Darwin Nunez starting to find his feet? (11:05)Chelsea won their group too, but their final group game was overshadowed by an injury to Ben Chillwell. Despite that, how far can they go?(19:01)Manchester City came from behind in their final group game against Sevilla. Charlotte Duncker was there for The Times and joins us to discuss Rico Lewis, who made history in the game (31:50)Rangers became the worst Champions League side ever -but Celtic weren’t much better. Can the Old Firm realistically ever compete in the Champions League? (36:36)There’s only one Spanish side through to the Champions League knockout stage. Why are clubs other than Real Madrid struggling at the moment? (42:41)Burnley came from behind against Rotherham to extend their lead at the top of the Championship. Just how impressive is Vincent Company and the job he’s doing at the club? (48:56)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Alyson Rudd, with Tom Roddy.Brighton gave Graham Potter a hostile welcome on his return with Chelsea. Was his in-game management affected by the boos? (00:00)Leeds got the better of Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp’s side continued to struggle. How do they turn the corner? (19:31)Unlike Liverpool, Arsenal didn’t fall foul of Nottingham Forest. In fact, they embarrassed them - but what could derail the Gunners’ charge towards an unexpected title fight? (31:32)Alyson tells us all about her enlightening conversation with Fulham’s Bobby Decordova-Reid and his Labour MP sister, Marsha (40:11)Hugh has a big statement to make about Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne - but will everyone else agree? (45:06)Marcus Rashford continues to impress - but can he break into the England World Cup squad? (51:39)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Jonathan Northcroft and Ian Hawkey.Antonio Conte was sent off as Spurs had a winner ruled out against Sporting on Wednesday night - but was it the right decision? (00:00)Liverpool cruised into the knockout stages with a 3-0 win at Ajax - are we starting to see them find their form again? (10:24)Chelsea are already looking like a Graham Potter side, but how far can they go in the tournament? (16:22)Three of the original Super League clubs are already out of the Champions League. Ian Hawkey joins us from Barcelona to discuss the fate of Xavi’s side as well as Juventus and Atletico Madrid (30:09)Unai Emery is back to have another crack at the Premier League. Why is he a good fit for Aston Villa? (40:17)It’s the end of the month, so we pick our alternative players of the month for October (49:08)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Aston Villa looked like a different team this past weekend as they put 4 past Brentford. Were the players not backing Steven Gerrard? (00:00)Leicester also scored four goals, thrashing Wolves without reply. Is the pressure off Brendan Rodgers now? (18:08)Wolves are still looking for a new manager - are they right to keep Steve Davis in place until the near year? (21:35)Leeds are sliding further into the bottom three. Does Jesse Marsch have much time to turn things around? (25:38)Fulham are seventh in the Premier League - but how!? (33:14)Steve Cooper was awarded a new contract when Forest were on a huge winless run - they’ve now beaten Liverpool, so is this the start of the turnaround? (36:38)Everton backed Frank Lampard and that looks to have paid off too. What can we expect from Frank Lampard’s side next? (43:18)Newcastle are fourth after a 2-1 win at Tottenham. Eddie Howe is happy, Antonio Conte isn’t - but what did we learn from the game? (51:02)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Gregor Robertson and Martyn Ziegler.Manchester United looked vastly improved in their 2-0 win over Spurs - is Erik ten Hag’s vision for the club starting to show? (00:00)Ronaldo marched off down the tunnel before the final whistle - but who is to blame for his situation at the club? (09:18)Chelsea are Spurs haven’t had the ‘wow’ factor recently - but why? (12:42)Southampton have finally got a win, much to the delight of their manager Ralph Hasenhüttl. Where do they go from here and is he the right man to lead them forward? (24:42)Is Crystal Palace’s south London identity the secret to them consistently punching above their weight? (34:17)West Ham missed another penalty, this time against Liverpool. Why can’t they find the back of the net? (45:30)Martyn Ziegler joins us to discuss the reemergence of the European Super League and how it differs from the 2021 proposition (55:56)With Gareth Southgate set to name a provisional 55 man England squad for the World Cup - we attempt to choose 5 players who have an outside chance of being included (58:20)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Molly Hudson and Tony Cascarino.Liverpool beat Manchester City 1-0, but at what cost for their next few matches? (00:00)David Moyes wasn't happy with some of the decisions in their draw against Southampton. Does he have a point? (20:35)Arsenal are still top after another win, this time over Leeds United. Are we getting used to them being a title contender? (24:12)Ivan Toney once again looked impressive for Brentford. He’s got to be on the plane to Qatar, surely? (37:14)Bournemouth continue their unbeaten run since Scott Parker was sacked. One player in particular has caught our eye (48:53)There were plenty of red cards over the weekend - including in the women’s game, as Molly Hudson explains (59:59)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson and Tom Clarke - with Ian Hawkey and Owen Slot.Barcelona are on the brink of failing to make the Champions League knockout stages for the second year running. Ian Hawkey was at the game last night and tells us just how problematic this is for the club (00:00)Rangers were embarrassed 7-1 at home to Liverpool in the Champions League. What does that result mean for both teams? (17:44)Following their 7-1 win over Rangers, Liverpool take on Manchester City at the weekend. Are they back in with a chance of a result? (21:01)Is Ralph Hasenhüttl most likely to be the next Premier League manager to be fired? (29:22)Kylian Mbappé is said to be desperate to leave PSG once again. The Times’ Owen Slot was in Paris earlier in the week and joins us to discuss why the Frenchman is unhappy (37:58)After a long campaign, the first black player to be selected for England - Jack Leslie - has been awarded a posthumous honorary cap by the Football Association. But why was he not recognised for so long? (50:38)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino - with Martyn Ziegler and Molly Hudson.Arsenal continue to impress - this time with a win over Liverpool. How have both clubs suddenly started moving in different directions? (00:00)Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winner as Manchester United beat Everton - but what’s the latest with their relationship? (17:47)Bournemouth won again too - surely Gary O'Neil’s case for taking over full time is getting stronger by the week? (30:48)Martyn Ziegler joins us to discuss Barcelona President Joan Laporta’s latest comments on the European Super League (33:41)Iker Casillas was ‘hacked’ on Sunday, with a tweet supposedly coming out posted on his account. Molly Hudson joins us to discuss the potential damage this could have caused in terms of footballers being open about their sexualities (50:42) Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Jonathan Northcroft, Ian Hawkey and Molly Hudson.Chelsea made short work of the Italian champions, last night. What does their win over AC Milan tell us about where they’re going under Graham Potter? (00:00)Liverpool and Manchester City both won too. What did we learn from their latest games in the Champions League? (5:22)Spurs drew in Frankfurt - what are they lacking and will Antonio Conte be forced to spend more money in January? (17:06) Napoli are on fire in both Serie A and in Europe - are they the real deal or will their season fall away as it has done in the past? (23:55)Julen Lopetegui looks set to take over as Wolves manager - but what went wrong for him at Sevilla? (29:10)England’s women play friendlies against the USA and Czech Republic in the next week. Molly Hudson joins us to discuss the games and the players who miss out (34:10)Leicester City got the better of Nottingham Forest in the East Midlands derby. Is this the start of their turnaround and what’s next for Steve Cooper’s side? (43:00)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke, Charlotte Duncker and Tom Roddy.There were nine goals at the Etihad, but twice as many of those goals went City’s way. What did we learn from the Manchester derby? (00:00)Arsenal also got one over their local rivals - are there some big questions for Antonio Conte following the 3-1 defeat? (13:00)Wolves are on the lookout for a new manager after Bruno Lage departed on Sunday. Charlotte Duncker joins us with the latest (26:55)After Liverpool drew 3-3 with Brighton at the weekend, Hugh wants to know - is this the end of this era of success at the club? (37:16)Brighton were impressive and with Leandro Trossard scoring a hattrick, the conversation turned to the most underrated players in the Premier League (47:25)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Gregor Robertson, Tom Clarke and Michael Grant.The Nations League games are over - England haven’t won for 6 matches, they’ve been relegated too - but did we see positive signs against Germany (00:00)Scotland have had a much better Nations League campaign with promotion to the top group. Michael Grant was at their most recent matches and joins to discuss the positive trajectory in Scottish football (17:51)The Premier League returns this weekend with the North London derby at the Emirates - but is it the biggest meeting between the two sides in a long time? (28:22)Manchester United visit Manchester City for another derby match at the weekend. If United win - does it mean the ‘new’ United are here? (38:00)We finish with our Alternative Player of the Month - listen an cast your vote in The Times app (47:48)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Tom Clarke and Molly Hudson.England have been relegated from the top Nations League group - but is that the least of their worries going into the World Cup? (00:00)Wales have also dropped down a level, but Rob Page has his eyes on the World Cup. What kind of shape will Gareth Bale be in for the finals, though? (27:35)Arsenal set a new WSL attendance record at the weekend. Molly Hudson joins us to discuss what we learned from the last round of games (33:55)This section is called ‘Ruddy Angry’ and you’ll have to listen to find out why Alyson has lost her cool with Deadpool (43:10)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Alyson Rudd, Jonathan Northcroft and Martyn Ziegler.England have two more games before the World Cup begins - but has Gareth Southgate got too many problems on his hands? (00:00)Ivan Toney is in the squad for this weekend’s Nations League matches - what chance does he have of becoming Harry Kane’s number two? (16:39)Is the game up for Trent Alexander-Arnold as an England player? (21:25)Harry Kane and other captains will wear ‘One Love’ armbands during these games and at the World Cup - but does it actually mean anything? (25:54)What will happen now Liz Truss has put the plan for an independent football regulator on hold? (45:14)A chat with former Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini ends up creating the most surreal games Hugh Woozencroft has ever come up with (52:07)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugh Woozencroft is joined by Tom Clarke, Alyson Rudd and Tony Cascarino.Arsenal continue to surprise many and will be league leaders going into October - how did they turn things around? (00:00)West Ham are having a disastrous season so far, but what can they do to turn things around - and is David Moyes the man to do it? (15:57)Spurs are third in the Premier League, only a point off the lead - but are they any good? (33:37)Leicester City are bottom going into the international break - but will they make a change in the dugout before their next game? (41:45)Fulham are impressing so far, but Nottingham Forest are struggling with all their new signings - which are most likely to stay up? (46:36)Hugh claims Aston Villa vs Southampton was the worst game he’s ever seen - but what about everyone else? (57:45)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former England cricketer and national selector Ed Smith joins us to discuss his new book 'Making Decisions: Putting the Human Back in the Machine'.Tom Clarke sits down with Ed to discuss the analysis of data in sport and why it doesn't mean we'll simply rely on algorithms to pick squads and tactics in the future. We also hear his thoughts on the different mentalities of football managers and his love for Arsenal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Clarke is joined by Gregor Robertson, Ian Hawkey and Ed Smith.Erling Haaland scored (again) as Manchester City came from behind to beat his former side Borussia Dortmund. How can he be stopped? (00:00)Graham Potter took charge of Chelsea for the first time - what did we learn from their draw in the Champions League? (13:22)Liverpool left it late to beat Ajax - why aren’t they the team of previous years this season? (32:55)Tottenham let it slip late on in their match against Sporting. How does Antonio Conte improve their mentality? (45:49)Ian Hawkey gives us his opinions on the other results in the Champions League - including mixed fortunes for Real and Barcelona (51:52)News of a special episode of The Game out on Friday (60:18)Gregor and Tom discuss how Rangers and Celtic got on in the Champions League and we touch upon the EFL results from the week (62:50)Get more of The Times and The Sunday Times for less than £1 a day. Start your free trial: thetimes.co.uk/thegame Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.